Sports National

Cloud Computing Pulls Upset Win At Preakness, Ending Triple Crown Hopes

by Emma Bowman

Cloud Computing (2), ridden by Javier Castellano, gallops out after winning the 142nd Preakness Stakes horse race at Pimlico race course as Classic Empire (5) with Julien Leparoux aboard finishes for second, Saturday, in Baltimore.
Cloud Computing (2), ridden by Javier Castellano, gallops out after winning the 142nd Preakness Stakes horse race at Pimlico race course as Classic Empire (5) with Julien Leparoux aboard finishes for second, Saturday, in Baltimore. Patrick Semansky / AP

Cloud Computing pulled a surprise win in the final strides of the 142nd run of the Preakness Stakes, shutting out any chances for a Triple Crown winner this year.

The clear favorite, Always Dreaming, who took the first jewel in Kentucky, wound up finishing eighth this run, despite sharing a strong lead with Classic Empire — who finished second — for the first half of the race. Senior Investment placed third.

In a final, fierce charge, Cloud Computing, ridden by Javier Castellano, nosed ahead of Classic Empire. Castellano finished the mile and three-sixteenth race in 1 minute 59.98 seconds at Pimlico Race Course in Baltimore, Md. It's the jockey's second Preakness win, following his 2006 victory aboard Bernardini.

The next stop is New York's Belmont Stakes on June 10, where the final jewel is up for grabs.

Copyright 2017 NPR. To see more, visit http://www.npr.org/.

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